Caribou Clatters: our homeschooling journey

2006-03-13T20:43:00.000-05:00

Yikes!....Six months since my last post?! I'm sorry little blog, to have abandoned you. Not long after that September post, I found myself in the position of not home schooling. Actually N went off to Kindergarten right at the beginning of the year, and J followed before October was over. I see it as a temporary exile, but for now it's working out. They will most likely remain in the ps next year, as we wait and see what happens with our move next spring. Right now they just need some stability and not more shuffling around. Once a move happens, it'll be a good time to start over and start fresh. I do want to start 'schoolin' Little Boo in the fall, though. He's so ready! Smart cookie, that one. I also registered for the Christian Home Educator's home school conference coming up next month. I've never been to one of those and thought it would be interesting and informative. As tough as some of my days were, I admit I miss it! I'm really looking forward to starting with Boo.

On a totally unrelated note, it's March 13th and we are having thunder and lightning!.....how odd indeed. Better sign off for now - it's only a matter of time before someone comes upstairs all freaked out!

Well...!

2005-09-26T13:11:00.000-05:00

Seems like we are finally back into somewhat of a routine. Today we started using Beyond Five in a Row. The first book to read is The Boxcar Children. Since J can read it himself I am letting him do independent reading and then we do the activities together. We did a science unit today on meal planning and proper nutrition - he made up his own restaurant and did a menu for it, then "ordered" from it to make up a balanced meal. It was interesting to notice that the food pyramid has changed a lot lately. They've adjusted the amounts within each food group, and beyond that have even broken them down to age groups and boys/girls (like dairy, for instance). We printed the new chart and have it prominantly displayed at the entrance to the kitchen! We also set our reading goals for the month of October for the Pizza Hut Book-it program. J, reading on his own, set a goal of 30 books (1 per day), and N, who I read to at bedtime, set a goal of 100 books! Good for him....I think we can do it! Funny how one little pizza can provide such great incentive. I guess living rurally as we do, going to the city to Pizza Hut is a pretty big deal.

This really stinks

2005-09-05T19:01:00.000-05:00

Not home school related but I need to vent this. Had to give our sweet little cat Cookie away today. After getting into the neighbor's garden twice earlier this summer, we did our darndest to keep him indoors. Worked pretty well until a few days ago, when he got out again, and apparently wreaked havoc with their screen porch. After making an appearance over there a second time yesterday, we got a very unpleasant phone message. We cannot keep him in 100% of the time...with young kids in the house, he's simply going to escape now and then. So, in the interest of all involved, most of all Cookie - who can't spend the rest of his days more or less confined to our bedroom - we placed him in a new home. It's another home schooling family that took him. They have kids who seemed very excited to get him, and they live on 12 acres with other cats, dogs, and chickens! He'll have plenty of space to roam and catch mice, and enjoy himself. Boy do I miss him. I remember the day we got him, at the pet store in Newport. He came to the front of the cage and was very friendly. He picked a mouse out of the box on the counter while Glenn was paying, so we added a toy mouse to the total. Jordan named him - he's black and white like an Oreo, so Cookie it was. It really stinks to have to part with a beloved pet. But maybe this is the beginning of the end, so to speak...if we end up moving to a camp where pets are not allowed, we've still got Whiskers and Pippin and Kodiak to part with. At least God took Biddies from me, albeit against my will, without my having to make that painful decision of letting him go. I still miss him terribly. Hard as this was, though, I'm trying to look ever upward and onward. I'm not going to miss out on another great opportunity because I'm unwilling to let go of an animal. God blesses us with them for a time, but eventually you have to move on.

Field trips, and my stuff came...

2005-08-24T18:35:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine and fellow home schooling mom has been going NUTS lately putting together field trips for the upcoming fall. I admire her enthusiasm and hopefully I will catch it, but I can't see much beyond next week, never mind next month! There's one going on that involves some corn mazes...those are a blast! The boys should love that. Our home school support group is going to an apple orchard next month, too, and I always look forward to those. Much as I hate to see summer end, I love autumn.
Our first week of prep work is going very well. The guys are pretty into doing their practice workbooks and even Littlest Boo has almost finished his tracing book! I will incorporate some unit studies into our field trips and put that into the notebooks we're going to start. That reminds me I need to get some of those clear plastic page protectors.... BUT! my goodies came yesterday! Well, some of them. But I've got some real cool highlighters and pens and stuff sitting here on my desk! Time to organize the actual home school supplies. Reading "The Organized Homeschooler" wouldn't hurt any, either....

It has begun!

2005-08-22T13:47:00.000-05:00

Officially began our "pre-" school work today. Had the boys work on their Summer Skills books for some review. A couple of weeks of that and then we dive in with the real thing. The key is to keep it fresh and the enthusiasm going!! It can wane very quickly. Despite the insane price of gas these days I expect we'll do a fair amount of traveling to Keene to stay in touch with our support group. I've begun the task of organization today, also. The files need to be neat and up-to-date so things can quickly be put in their proper place, and all the supplies need some tweaking as well. I'm supposed to be getting a big box of stuff from Staples, I believe it is, with all sorts of goodies for the school year. Can't wait for that to arrive. I love art and office supplies!....silly, perhaps, but I do. :)

Steam fogs my head!

2005-08-10T18:12:00.000-05:00

Man!...it's been HOT here this summer! We've had dew points that rival those of Florida, only here in NH you don't necessarily find A/C everywhere so it's pretty miserable. I find myself in a bit of a fog lately, drifting through the days in a lazy summer kind of way. I hate to rush it but summer is fading quickly - there are even a few rogue maples starting to show some color. I've got to get my home school act together!!
We're taking a more relaxed approach this year. Partly because we'll be busy with house projects, but also so we can just take it a bit easier. I'm working with 2 kids this year, so that will be something new to adjust to.
I'm making sure I make time for ME this summer....back in June I put all the home school books away and broke out some purely recreational reading! I read E. Hoekstra's "Be Still" and found that to be food for my soul. I'm now working on a book called "Honest Dogs" about the Yukon Quest sled dog race; almost done and it's been a fun ride. Next up will be "Shiloh Autumn" by the Thoenes. If my timing is right I'll be working on that while we're all relaxing at the beach next month!
All for tonight....!

First post

2005-08-08T19:58:00.000-05:00

Hey!...here I am finally posting to the Web for all the World to see. As a writer it's something I like to do anyway. As a mom, it's time to myself. As a home schooler, it's a place to share as well as vent!
We are mere weeks from the start of the new school year and I'm so unprepared. Seem to have lost my vision over the summer, and so far I haven't been able to find it again. A friend of mine long ago used to joke that she had "lost her marbles," so one year for Christmas I gave her a little velvet bag of marbles. Now she has no excuse! I wish someone would hand me a little velvet bag full of vision. Or inspiration...SOMEthing.
Kind of funny to sit and write this, knowing that it will be read by total strangers and close friends alike. For those who know me, kind of makes you want to check back frequently to see if I mention you, huh?!! Congratulations, Guip, on being the very first! :)
Signing off for tonight...